The next wave of Bay of Plenty rugby talent lay down a claim for Chiefs supremacy as four teams compete in the Chiefs Cup and Chiefs Trophy competitions during the next four weekends.

Tauranga Boys' College and Rotorua Boys High School will contest the top tier Chiefs Cup with Trident High School and John Paul College included in the second-tier Chiefs Trophy in the annual pre-season Chiefs region Secondary Schools First XV competition.

Tauranga Boys' College will open their Chiefs Cup campaign at home against Wesley College this Saturday.

In a first this year, the competition has been extended to include the top ranked schools in 2012 from Waikato, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Thames Valley and King Country.

Of the four schools in the tournament, Tauranga Boys' College have been handed the toughest assignment after being pooled with defending champions Hamilton Boys High School, Wesley College and St Pauls College from Hamilton, but will be buoyed after a maiden 18-17 victory against Auckland Grammar last weekend.

Chiefs High Performance Manager, Chris Tindall says it is great to get a Chiefs region wide schools competition initiated last year in what is a highly successful in providing new competitive matches for schools against teams outside of their province.

'Following discussions with the schools and with support from the Provincial Unions, we have extended the competition from a knock out format last year to two pools and play-offs format, so each team gets to play four matches.

'The positive support from all of the schools and the Provincial Unions has again been vital to make the competition happen with all of the top qualifying schools across the Chiefs region involved.”

He says first XV rugby plays a key part in the development of the best young players for the future and the initiative fits with the Chiefs working with provincial unions in assisting rugby development and building success in the Chiefs region.

The Chiefs Cup and Chiefs Trophy matches will provide a good viewing platform for the selectors in their process to select 50 players to attend the Chiefs Region Schools U18 Development Camp to be held in the July School Holidays from Sunday 14 July to Thursday 18 July.

The inaugural winners of the Chiefs Cup and the Chiefs Trophy last year were Hamilton Boys High School and Thames High School.

Chiefs Cup

Pool A

Schools
Wesley College (Counties Manukau)
Tauranga Boys College (Bay of Plenty)
Hamilton Boys High (Waikato)
St Pauls College (Waikato)

Draw
Sat 11 May:
Tauranga Boys College v Wesley College
St Pauls College v Hamilton Boys High School

Sat 18 May:
Wesley College v St Pauls College
Tauranga Boys College v Hamilton Boys High School

Sat 25 May:
Hamilton Boys High School v Wesley College
St Pauls College v Tauranga Boys College

Pool B

Schools
Manurewa High School (Counties Manukau)
Rotorua Boys High School (Bay of Plenty)
Cambridge High School (Waikato)
St Johns College (Waikato)

Draw
Sat 11 May:
Manurewa High School v Cambridge High School
Rotorua Boys High School v St Johns College

Sat 18 May:
Rotorua Boys High School v Cambridge High School
St Johns College v Manurewa High School

Sat 25 May:
Manurewa High School v Rotorua Boys High School
Cambridge High School v St Johns College

Sat 1 June – Play off matches:
Pool A 1^st Place Team v Pool B 1^st Place Team
Pool A 2^nd Placed Team v Pool B 2^nd Place Team
Pool A 3^rd Placed Team v Pool B 3^rd Place Team
Pool A 4^th Placed Team v Pool B 4^th Placed Team

Chiefs Trophy

Pool A

Schools
Pukekohe High School (Counties Manukau)
St Peters School (Waikato)
Trident High School (Bay of Plenty)
Hauraki Plains College (Thames Valley)

Draw

Sat 11 May:
Pukekohe High School v Trident High School
Hauraki Plains College v St Peters School

Sat 18 May:
Trident High School v Hauraki Plains College
St Peters School v Pukekohe High School

Sat 25 May:
Pukekohe High School v Hauraki Plains College
St Peters School v Trident High School

Pool B

Schools
Rosehill College (Counties Manukau)
John Paul College (Bay of Plenty)
Thames High School (Thames Valley)
Taupo Nui A Tia College (King Country)

Draw

Sat 11 May:
John Paul College v Rosehill College
Taupo Nui A Tia College v Thames High School

Sat 18 May:
Rosehill College v Taupo Nui A Tia College
Thames High School v John Paul College

Sat 25 May
Rosehill College v Thames High School
John Paul College v Taupo Nui A Tia College

Sat 1 June - Play off matches:
Pool A 1^st Placed Team v Pool B 1^st Placed Team
Pool A 2^nd Placed Team v Pool B 2^nd Placed Team
Pool A 3^rd Placed Team v Pool B 3^rd Placed Team
Pool A 4^th Placed Team v Pool B 4^th Placed Team